


Salvation

by MansiJain



Series: Absolution [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adorable Draco, Angst, Cute Kids, Dark, Draco hides, F/M, Harry seeks, Playful draco, Sad Ending, tragic end
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-01 05:04:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13991052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MansiJain/pseuds/MansiJain
Summary: Firenze saves Draco. She lives and so the game begins. She hides and Harry seeks. She is determined to make it difficult for him, not ready to forgive him so easily. Harry is determined to earn her forgiveness. Kids help Harry. The game becomes deadly when Hermione Granger starts seeking Draco too. Absolution part 2/3. Sequel of yes you only you.





	1. Falling Apart

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All rights belong to Rowling and the relevant corporations. I make no money from the publication of this "work."

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Rowling and the relevant corporations. I make no money from the publication of this "work."

**_ Chapter-1 _ **

**_ Falling Apart _ **

"MALFOY." Harry screams, his shoulders held by a couple of men so that he doesn't run after Malfoy. A second ago she was standing there, smiling dreamily and the next, tide swept her away, leaving not even a single evidence of the fact that she was even there. Harry's knees feel weak and he drops on the sand, his knees folded behind. A few steps ahead, Blaise is in a similar position, her shoulders shaking violently, her heart wrenching sobs audible.

Nott is frozen beside Harry. The man is too still, too silent. There is not a even a single tear in his eyes. His eyes are fixed on the spot Draco was standing.

A lot of people have gathered around them. Harry stares, his heart thundering in his throat, wondering if somehow Malfoy will come back.

Seconds turn into minutes and there is no sign of Malfoy.

People disperse, going their ways. Wizarding journalists arrive and take pictures and try to talk to him. Wind is still strong. Blaise is still crying. Nott is still frozen and Harry is still staring. He doesn't love Malfoy. He never has and he won't pretend he does.

But, he feels guilty and his insides are turning. Malfoy loved him. She was devoted to him and she didn't even let him know. She gave birth to his children and raised them alone. Now that he can think objectively, he knows that it must have been close to impossible to raise newly born kids all alone along-with starting her potions selling business.

Now that he thinks back, he knows that she didn't have anyone. Snape, Sirius, elder Malfoys, her friends. Everyone was here. She was alone.

No, he most certainly doesn't love Malfoy but he respects her and his heart is aching.

Finally Blaise gets up and looks at him.

"I'll send your things back to your place." She says.

"Blaise." He murmurs softly. She needs someone. She must. Malfoy was her best friend. Blaise sacrificed five years of her life for Malfoy.

"Save it for someone else." She mumbles, her voice hoarse and breaking off before she disappears. That leaves him with Nott who is staring at Harry. The polyjuice has worn out.

"I didn't know she meant this by moving on." Nott murmurs, "She said that she wants one last thing from me. She wanted me to polyjuice into you and tell her that I love her."

Harry stares incredulously. Malfoy wished to live a lie before dying. It's unbelievable.

There is a lump in Harry's throat and Harry breathes deeply as he gazes silently at Nott.

Nott continues, "She loved you. She said that she will never love me the way I want her to. No I can't prove it Potter but yes you killed her."

"No." Harry blurts out, his eyes hard.

"Yes you did. You could have stayed out of her way but you mocked her. You told her that you hate her when you could have ignored her. She came back, didn't she. She returned so that you could know your children. She could have married someone else. You might never have known. You are not the only one in this universe who has green eyes, you see. But she came back. She came back for you and you killed her." He murmurs in a monotone.

Harry swallows and start, "I- I -"

"I am leaving this country and I won't return again. Think about what you will tell your kids and Malfoy's parents. You ruined everything." Nott mutters and apparates on spot, his eyes cold and his body stiff.

Lead drops in Harry's stomach. How will he tell his kids that their mother is dead.

Harry stares at the waves, his eyes prickling. Waves are silent now. Everyone is gone. Wind is still blowing.

Life goes on. Minutes are still ticking away. Just because Harry is falling apart for practically leading to Malfoy's death, time doesn't stop.

Harry stares ahead, not knowing what to do. How should he tell Jamie and Narcissus that their mother is gone, that they will never see her again.

He closes his eyes and stands up. He must return. He has no time to grieve, not yet at least.

A last glance at the beach and then he apparates in front of the Malfoy Manor. The kids are with their grandparents today.

The door looks huge. The manor doesn't seem welcoming. With a sense of foreboding, he rings the door bell. The door is opened by a tiny elf.

Seeing Harry, the creature pulls back and lets Harry in.

"Where are my kids?" Harry asks him after the door is shut by the elf.

"Please be sitting. Sleezy will call Master Jamie and Mistress Narcissus."

Harry nods and walks towards the nearest couch. He sits on the edge and stares at the fireplace. Fire is crackling in the hearth. Blaise was right. He hadn't been able to stop the woman.

"Mr. Potter."

"Mr. Potter."

He hears twin voices and red flushed faces. They are smiling widely. Their grandparents follow them. Harry's heart aches. Only a day has elapsed since he met them. Their last meeting had been enjoyable. The kids had really enjoyed it. They were really trying.

"Where is mommy, Mr. Potter?" Narcissus asks, smiling widely. She is dressed in a pink frock today and her hair are all over her face. She is adorable, a perfect mix of Malfoy and himself.

"She-" Harry starts, not knowing what to say. Behind the kids, Narcissa stares at him. Lucius's eyes become suspicious when Harry doesn't answer.

"Mother said that she will come to pick us up and that she will bake a cake for us." Jamie murmured, his smile faltering.

"She is- your mother -"

"Draco is dead." He hears a clear voice mutter bluntly. Harry gasps and stands up. Blaise is standing at a bit of distance, "She went to the beach today and drowned herself in the ocean. We couldn't save her."

Harry stares at the woman before turning towards the kids. They are frozen, their eyes welling with tears. Narcissa has slumped on the couch and Lucius is leant against the wall, his right hand on his chest, his eyes wide.

Blaise walks towards the kids and kneels down.

"Jamie, Narcissus, Your mother-" She starts and tries to embrace them. To Harry's shock, they push her away and run towards Harry, yelling, "You are not our mother. Stay away from us."

They hug his legs and Jamie sobs out, "Mother said that you saved the entire world by getting rid of Lord Voldimore. She said that you save everyone."

"Please save her Mr. Potter." Narcissus pleads and starts crying.

Harry's eyes widen. Malfoy had said that she had told them the truth. He doesn't understand. He had thought that she had poisoned their minds.

He should talk to them. He should hug them and he should comfort them. But he is frozen. It's like time has stopped because- because- he hadn't even imagined that she would tell this to them.

"And she said-" Narcissus sobs, "-she said th-that yo-you are the bravest person she has ever me-met. Please -please bring her back. You came back from death. Please bring her back too. Please. Pretty please. We will do anything you want."

It can't be true can it. If she had told them all these things, then it meant that - that -

"Please, Mr. Potter. Br- bring her back." Jamie slurs.

Blaise is staring at him, her face blank. That Jamie and Narcissus will rush to him instead of approaching Blaise or their grandparents is surprising.

Harry kneels down on his knees and looks at their tear filled faces.

"I am sorry I can't bring your mother back." He says and they stare mutely at him before throwing themselves in Harry's arms, wailing loudly. If Harry is close to tears when he doesn't even love Malfoy, then it has to be hard for two five year old kids who have lived their life with their mother.

"I am so sorry." He murmurs softly.

"I am so so sorry." He repeats. Jamie and Narcissus keep on crying. He closes his eyes because he can't face Blaise's accusing gaze right now. He is already feeling wretched. He thinks back to the times when his friends had asked him to see a therapist and he had refused and his heart clenches.

He thinks back to all the times when Vernon trained him to be a senseless brainless angry man and curses the man to seven pits of hell.

He had never wanted Malfoy to die. He had been too angry. He-

A thud brings him out of his musings and he realizes that Lucius has dropped on the floor, unconscious. Somehow, he drags himself up because even though he dislikes Lucius Malfoy, he can't have his kids lose their grandparents too. Lucius and Narcissa love his kids and that's enough for him. So he gets up and follows Blaise towards Lucius's frozen body. Narcissa has gone in shock. She is pale.

"Go and talk to your grandmother. Come with her to St. Mungos. Both of you have been so brave. You took care of your mother when she needed you. I want you to be brave right now and take care of your grandmother." He doesn't know where the words are coming from. Maybe Malfoy's parenting methods have rubbed off on him.

They stare at him, their eyes dry and a tiny bit proud. They are still hiccuping and sniffing and their eyes are so pained.

"Can you be brave for me? Just a bit more and then I will take you home and we can rest."

They sniff and nod mutely before running towards Narcissa. Her eyes are frozen on Lucius. He can empathize with her. Her entire world is falling apart. Her daughter has committed suicide and her husband is unconscious.

Harry needs to think about everything. He needs to talk to Jamie and Narcissus. They need time to grieve. He is grieving too and he needs time to collect his thoughts. This is his fault. He should have had a better control over himself. He is twenty five for god's sake not fifteen.

But, now is not the time. He avoids Blaise's eyes and together they apparate to St. Mungos, their hands on Lucius's body.

XXXX


	2. Forgiveness

**_ Chapter-2 _ **

**_ Forgiveness _ **

Lucius is in a critical condition. Narcissa is sitting in his hospital room. Snape has shut himself in his study and Sirius is not speaking to him at all. He has not seen Blaise at all. He wonders how she is faring. he finds himself missing Ron and the Weasleys as well and maybe Hermione too but she is a lost cause now. After what Ginny revealed, he has stopped thinking about her.

Three hours have passed since Harry returned from St. Mungos and Harry has canceled his meetings for the day. If this continues, his business will go into severe losses. There is no-one who could manage the business in his stead. Very deliberately, he had kept Ron away from it. He is regretting his decision. He should have let Ron bring contribute in the business and become his business partner along with his best friend.

Asking Ron now would be a waste. Ron is earning quite well as a head auror.

Harry has no other choice but to work from home. He has his kids to take care of. Harry doesn't understand how Malfoy did this. He has meetings to attend and all of them can't be conducted at his place. Often, he has to travel out of town. Maybe he will just take Jamie and Narcissus with him. He wonders if this will harm them.

The said kids are sitting in front of him. He is teaching maths to them. They have claimed two rooms for themselves. He has given some practice questions to them while he studies a business proposal. He is trying really hard to concentrate on his file because his thoughts are returning Malfoy again and again. Nott was right. She died for him. Did this make him a murderer? One day kids will know and how will he explain all this to them then.

"Blinky gave mother's letter to us. She wrote one for us before leaving for the beach." Mutters Jamie out of the blue.

Harry swallows and braces himself for accusations.

"She wanted us to call you father instead of 'Mr. Potter' and she wanted us to tell you what she told us about you." Narcissus mumbles, making random patterns with her fingers on her page.

Harry stays quiet. He is learning to listen to others. It seems that he presumes too much and takes takes rash and irrevocable decisions.

"She had told us how you defeated the dark lord and got rid of him. She showed some memories to us. We wanted to see you and she said that she wanted us to know our father. She said you are a good man. She was afraid that you will take us away from her and that is why she never told you about us. She said that grandfather was on the bad side of the war and you disliked her and didn't trust her because of grandfather. That day when you came to visit, we saw you slap her and so we started hating you."Jamie murmurs. They are sad, melancholic.

"You kept on shouting at mommy. She loved you so much. That's why we disliked you."

He is such a fool. This is all Harry can think. He should have talked to her instead of scolding her at every turn. Of course they hated him. He slapped their mother. Malfoy's lip had split that day. The thought that he could have had a real family with her is killing him. He is obsessing over it, over everything he might have had if he had just communicated with her like a civil human being. The fact that she had really returned so that he could know his kids is giving him constant guilt attacks. The fact that she had told them about all his positive traits is completely astonishing and no less shaming. He had just presumed the worst. He had not even bothered to check anything.

Of course she didn't say anything. He was engaged to his best friend and he claimed that he had been interested in Blaise, not her. Merlin knows what she was going through. She might have thought that Blaise knew about the fact all along when Blaise had never known that Harry was interested in her, not after Malfoy really left and Harry proposed her. He was very surprised when she said yes. Now he knows why. She was only keeping him safe for Malfoy. Although, she did really love him, they were nothing but good friends at the best of times. She kept on postponing the date of wedding.

"I am sorry. " He murmurs though his apologies are useless. Two pairs of green eyes look at him. They are missing their mother and Harry can't fix this. He can't ever replace their mother. She was more like their best friend which is not surprising considering that she must have been around twenty when they were born. To his knowledge, she wasn't in contact with any of her old friends.

Narcissus crawls on his lap and Jamie lays down with his head on Harry's knees. The little boy presses his knees to his chest and sniffs sadly. Harry wraps one arm around Narcissus and places the other on Jamie's hair.

A few seconds later, both the kids start crying. They are not loud. They never are. They are silent and too still. Their quiet sobs are heart wrenching. At this very moment, Harry knows that he would do anything, absolutely anything to bring Malfoy back.

"I wish I could bring her back. I would do anything for it." His words echo his thoughts, "I would give up anything if I get only one chance to bring her back. I never wanted her to die. I didn't even want to hurt her."

He wishes to talk to Blaise about this. she might just understand him. She might forgive him because he can't forgive himself. However, the kids have forbidden her entry in this house. They think that he will substitute their mother by marrying Blaise. Of course, that's never going to happen. But no matter what Harry says, they don't believe him. They just don't want Blaise to meet them at all. He feels that she might do them some good.

A few seconds later, he realizes that they have slept. After laying them down on the bed, he walks back to his study to get atleast some of the work done before they wake up. He has requested the presence of the Japanese clients at his home tomorrow.

XXXX

Draco opens her eyes and the first thing she notices is that several huge trees are towering over her. They seem intimidating and she blinks several times to adjust to her surroundings. She notices that she is in a forest and that she is laid upon grass. She is still wearing her red dress. She blinks again and sits up. It seems that she is in the forbidden forest.

"Draco Malfoy." She almost jumps when she hears someone call her name in a soft voice. 

"Who is there?" She asks and she is quite proud to claim that her voice doesn't give her nervousness away. 

"Don't worry, Draco Malfoy." The voice is coming from behind the trees. Draco squints but she can't see anyone.

"I am Firenze." A figure appears a few seconds later. The centaur walks slowly towards her until he is standing just a few feet away from her. She stands up to greet him.

"Hello." She says.

"The centaurs of the Forbidden Forest owed a life debt to Mr. Potter. It stands repaid today. We have brought you back from the brink of death." 

Several things are wrong with this statement.

"Harry Potter despises me. You have evoked his wrath by saving me. Also, I thought that I had drowned. The tides were quite high." She murmurs politely, her eyes wide in surprise and her eyebrows raised.

The centaur smiles at him.

"He doesn't hate you Draco Malfoy. Au contraire, he will do anything to save you. He quite regrets his actions." He murmurs.

"You are wrong. No-one wants me. Even my own father hates me and would rather that I die." 

Firenze smiles yet again, his eyes twinkling before replying, "Your father is in St. Mungos. As soon as he received the news of your suicide, he got a heart attack. He is fighting for his life and before you say that your children are better off with Blaise Zabini, I will have you know that they have forbidden Blaise Zabini from entering their house. They are residing with Harry Potter in his house and have forbidden him from meeting the woman."

Draco stares at the centaur, her lips parted in shock. It's too much to take in at once.

"Harry agreed with them.... Why would he agree? They were engaged." Draco mutters and the continues, "I must see father at once."

"Yes, he agreed. He doesn't love Blaise Zabini. He loves his kids. He doesn't love anyone in that way. He misses you Draco Malfoy. Everyone close to you misses you, most of all your kids and your best friend. She sacrificed five years of her life for you. Yes, she loves Harry Potter but she never intended to keep any relation with him. In her eyes, he was always yours." He mutters.

"It's only been three days and your kids are already missing you. Everyone grieves for you, even Harry Potter. Stars tell me that given a bit of time, he will reciprocate your feelings. You have waited for so long. Surely you can wait a bit more." Firenze is quite patient. Draco has always known that he is a bit different from other centaurs.

"He hurt me. He said-"

"You should forgive him. Love shall give you the power to forgive him." 

The words are softly spoken as he stares into his eyes. He is not smiling now. He is quite serious and understanding and Draco's breath hitches.

"He slapped me. It hurt and not just physically." She murmurs desperately and he looks expectantly at her.

"He will have to earn my forgiveness." Draco murmurs at last.

"He will. I am sure of that. You won't do this again then? Life is a gift. You had almost died, you understand. We had to really work hard to save you."

"No I won't. Thank you for doing this for me." She says quietly, grateful that she is still alive. What was she thinking, dying because some idiot dared to tell all that rubbish to her. Father raised her to be a strong woman and she will not do this ever again.

"Have a nice life Draco Malfoy. Farewell." The centaurs whispers and leaves.

Draco closes her eyes and apparates in front of St. Mungos. The very first thing she will do is telling father and mother that she is alive.

XXXX


	3. Reunion

_**Chapter-3** _

_**Reunion** _

After a tearful reunion with Blaise and her parents, Draco walks out of the hospital. Father made her promise that she will never do this again. They told her atleast a dozen times that they love her and that they are proud of her and that they won't be able to find a better daughter, no matter how much they tried. Blaise shouted at her at the top of her voice. It was nothing that Draco hadn't expected. Draco apologized and then Blaise hugged her, sobbing violently in her arms. At the end, Draco was happy and satisfied and keen to meet her dear kids once again.

With a red face and a wide grin, Draco apparates in front of Harry's manor. Once there, she stares at it. It's huge enough to inhabit a dozen people. It has a beautiful wooden door which is closed. The walls are painted white and there are several windows and a garden behind the wooden door. The house has a wooden fencing.

She crosses her arms and glares at the large manor. Damn Potter and his huge manor and his giant ego. She is sure that the kids will prefer her even if her house is smaller.

"Blinky." she snaps and Blinky appears in front of her. Slinky follows a second later and they stare at Draco, their eyes huge and watery.

"Mistress Draco is being alive." They exclaim in unison and Draco hisses, "Shhhhh. I don't want Potter to know just yet."

"Shhhh." The elves echo her and Draco whispers, "Yes I am alive. Firenze and his friends saved me. I want to meet Jamie and Narcissus but I don't want Potter to know, not until I have met my kids properly."

"Yes. Mistress Draco." Slinky and Blinky reply and disappear and Draco returns to glaring at the house as if it were Harry Potter himself.

"Bloody Potter. Always meddling in my life." She grumbles to herself, "Couldn't have kept away. He just had to mess me up." She knows that she is pouting and pouting is unbecoming a twenty five year old woman with two children but she doesn't care, does she?

"Mother."

"Mommy."

Twin squeals bring her out of her musings and she glares at the house for one last time and it seems that the house is laughing at her. She has a strange urge to stick her tongue out at it and claim that kids love her and they hate it's stupid owner, Harry Potter.

She resists the urge though and kneels down. Jamie and Narcissus fall in her open arms, their faces red and their lips stretched into huge grins.

"Mommy, you are alive."

"We missed you so much mother. We thought you will never come back."

A few minutes later, they pull back and she smiles at them, her eyes moist, "Firenze saved me."

"Won't you come inside mommy?" Narcissus mutters a bit loudly and Draco places her index finger on her lips and hisses, "Shhhhhhhhh. Don't be loud. I don't want your father to know that I am here."

Jamie and Narcissus place their small fingers on their lips and murmur in unison, "Shhhhhhhh." Their eyes are full of mirth. She glares at them before murmuring, "You do remember that you hate your father, don't you?"

Jamie stares at her, before leaning forward as if they are sharing a secret and whispers, "He is kind of nice." 

"Yes, mommy. He doesn't shout at us and he plays with us and he teaches us and he lets us sit with him when he is working and he holds his meetings at home and even cancels them so that he doesn't have to leave us alone."

Draco stares at them. She is annoyed and irrationally jealous. How does Potter manage to bewitch everyone he meets.

"Bloody Potter." She grumbles and giving in to the urge, she turns to stare at the house and glares at it.

"Er, mother. What are you doing? Why are you glaring at the house?" Jamie asks in a whisper, his green eyes following hers.

"Yes, mommy. What's wrong?"

"Potter's house is laughing at me. It's as bad as Potter himself. Two days I am away and you are all, father is nice and father is sweet." Draco grumbles, her arms crossed. Her lower lip is jutting out in a pout and she is glaring petulantly at her kids.

They stare at her, their green eyes swimming with laughter.

Jamie covers his mouth to stop himself from laughing and Narcissus doesn't even try. She bursts out laughing, her body doubled over as she chuckles hard.

"Shhhhh. Potter will hear us and then he will come out. I don't want him to know." Draco mutters urgently and the kids embrace her tightly before replying, "We missed you so much mother."

She hugs them back before pulling back and kissing their noses.

"Potter is  _not_  nice. He is- he is- a child thief." She mutters, her petulant eyes at them and she can just tell that they want to laugh yet again.

"He is  _not nice_  and I  _hate_  him." She insists and they nod, their lips pinched together. They are dying to laugh.

"I really do. Don't laugh at me. Don't." She warns them and crosses her arms just before they burst out again.

"He has done this. He has somehow compelled you to laugh at me. It's all his fault. I hate him." She grumbles. Of course they don't believe her. How will they when she has been telling them for the past five years about how much she exactly loves Harry Potter. They keep on laughing and she glares at them, her cheeks red.

"Oh mother! You are so adorable." Jamie murmurs and pulls her cheeks. She embraces them again kisses their hair gently. She really really loves them so much. 

"Malfoy." She hears someone call her urgently and she shoots up on her feet, staring in Potter's direction. His eyes are relieved but Draco doesn't care. The house is laughing at her yet again. She looks at it with narrowed eyes. 

To her surprise, Potter stops and looks behind him.

"What are you glaring at?" He asks loudly and she throws a vicious glare in his direction. Kids are still laughing. Well, it was supposed to be vicious. Somehow, she just can't look vicious. It's really not her fault that she didn't inherit father's quality of frightening everyone with a well placed look.  

"Christ Malfoy. Wait. I want to talk to you."

She doesn't bother to reply him. He really wants to talk to her Draco really doesn't care. 

"Malfoy wait." Potter calls again and she sticks her nose in the air, trying to look arrogant if not vicious. Jamie and Narcissus are chuckling though so she thinks she doesn't succeed. She glares at the brats and taps their noses before murmuring, "I am leaving. Tell your father that I do not like him and that I do not want to talk to him. Tell him that I don't find him nice at all. He is evil. Okay?"

They don't reply and she looks at them with narrowed eyes. Green eyes are still twinkling with mirth.

"Okay?" She insists and finally they nod, "Okay mommy."

"But why are you going mother?" Jamie asks and she looks in Potter's direction before looking at them once again, "I want to punish your father. He is not going to get away so easily. I- I will-"

Potter is close now. She continues quickly, "I will owl you a muggle feletone and then you can talk to me whenever you want."

"Okay mommy but what is a feletone." Narcissus replies for both them and Draco looks at Potter for one last time before closing here eyes and disappearing. She has no time to tell her. She herself doesn't quite understand the muggle contraption yet.

The panic and frustration on Potter's face as she vanishes is really worth it. She is going to have a beautiful sleep tonight.

XXXX


	4. Earning

**_Chapter-4_ **

**_Earning_ **

By the time Harry reaches the kids, Malfoy is gone. His heart is pounding and his breath is too erratic and his mind is muddled. He doesn't understand anything. How did she survive and why did she not wait for him? His body is shaking with carefully restrained fury.

Only two minutes. That's all he had wanted from her. He had only wanted to apologize. Why couldn't she have waited? Harry wants to scream at her. He wants to vent out. His blood is literally boiling. But that's not what he does. He doesn't follow her because he knows that his anger is not justified and he will not shout at her.

He will not insult her.

He will not hit her.

He has to- he must get rid of his irrationally short temper. It's neither healthy, nor justified. He had literally asked her to die. Why will she talk to him?

Only when he is sure that his hands are not trembling with rage does he open his eyes again.

"Father." Jamie murmurs.

He freezes because this is the very first time the kids are calling addressing him as father. Malfoy had requested them to call him as such in her letter but he had told them they could take their time, that he didn't want them to be forced, that he only wanted them to be happy.

He had spent his entire childhood being manipulated. His choices were taken away from him. His life was decided by others and he would be damned if he let his kids go through the same.

"Dad." This is Narcissus.

This moment- he will never forget this moment. He has never felt like this. His eyes are prickling and there is a lump in his throat. He has been dying to hear this ever since he realized that they are his kids. He doesn't know what he has done to deserve this.

Slowly, he turns to look at them. His eyes are wide and his lips are a bit parted. He is surprised. They smile at him. Narcissus's smile is mischievous and Jamie's smile is sweet. Now that he has spent a few days with them, he is starting to understand them. Jamie looks more like him but his nature goes after Malfoy. Narcissus is completely opposite though. She looks more like Malfoy but he feels that her nature is more like him.

On the face, Jamie seems a short tempered child but that's clearly not the case whereas Narcissus is quick to annoy and she judges people pretty quickly too as has been Harry's tendency.

He kneels down and looks at them. Thank god, Malfoy is alive. He has never been so relieved to see anyone in his entire life. They need their mother and if Malfoy had died, Harry would never have forgiven himself.

He feels bile rise in his mouth. How could he curse his own kids to live without a mother. They have always been with her. They must recognize her breathe, her heartbeats, her footsteps even. Ron did. Harry remembers being astonished whenever Ron told him that Molly was coming and she came within a few minutes.

He stares at their innocent faces. They are only five. How could he take such a rash decision? What would he have done if she had really died?

Sorry is not enough for his mistake. Nothing is.

"I was angry at her. I told her to go and die. I- I don't know whether I meant it or not. I am so so sorry." He murmurs because he can't live with this. He can't spend his life knowing that they don't know the extent of their father's ruthlessness. They should know, shouldn't they so that they can protect Malfoy if he repeats this mistake.

They stare at him. Narcissus's eyes are flashing. Jamie is looking at him with unreadable eyes though.

"I-" Narcissus starts furiously and Jamie stops her, "Don't. He is really sorry."

Harry stares, unable to understand this child. Harry has just bloody confessed that he was so angry that for a moment he wanted their mother to go and die.

"How can you know that?" Narcissus spits out. If she were older, she would look truly dangerous. As in right now, she looks really, really adorable.

"I just know. He feels sorry and mother loves him. He is a good man. He took care of us and you just saw how he closed his eyes and didn't follow mother to scold her. Grandfather says that forgiveness is divine and that parents can commit mistakes too. They are only  _human beings_." Jamie says and Harry stares some more. He can understand why Lucius might have said so. That a five year old would listen to him and remember it so well is a surprise.

To his astonishment, Narcissus looks at her twin for a few moments and then nods before turning towards Harry.

"Please never repeat this again."

Harry finds himself nodding a second later. They forgive him and smile and he starts forgiving himself too, if only a tiny bit. He needs Malfoy's forgiveness. He can't live without it. He needs it like he needs air to breath.

"Come on father. Let's go inside." Jamie murmurs and Harry stands up.

"Yes dad. We want to sleep now. Mommy said that she will owl a felytone for us." Narcissus murmurs.

Jamie holds his right hand and Narcissus holds his left. He finds himself telling them all about  _telephones_  and their uses. They are intrigued. Jamie is asking him questions and more questions. The little boy is just so inquisitive. It feels like the boy wants a telephone for himself just so that he can work out that how exactly the device works.

Half a mind on Malfoy and the other half on his kids, he spends at-least two hours talking to the kids. Just before he goes to sleep, he realizes that these are best two hours of his life.

XXXX


	5. First Error

_**Chapter-5** _

_**First Error** _

Draco apparates in front of the Malfoy Manor. She is sure father and mother have returned by now. She rings the door bell and a few moments later, the door is opened by her mother. Mother's eyes lit up and her smile widens as soon as she notices that Draco is at the door.

"Come inside. Come inside Draco." She murmurs excitedly and Draco follows her inside. Father is sitting on the sofa, sipping tea, a book in his hand.

"Father." Draco calls and father looks at him. He smiles at her. She returns it and sits across him on a couch. Father places the cup on the table and mother settles beside Draco.

"Draco, how come you are here? I thought that you wanted to stay at your own place with Jamie and Narcissus." Father murmurs and mother whispers, "Come lay down on my lap today. I have missed you."

"It's just been two days mother." Draco mutters, staring at her.

"Nevertheless, lay down on my lap. I have missed you." She whispers and Draco lays down, her head resting on mother's lap. It's awkward. She can almost imagine father admonishing mother and so she looks cautiously at him. He is all smiles although his eyes are sad. She thinks she knows the reason though she can't do anything to lessen his sadness. She is trying to move on. She is really trying her best.

"I thought that kids should spend some time with Potter. I met them and they seem... comfortable with him. It's a good thing. I am happy." She continues.

"You are running away from that man, aren't you?" Father replies and Draco closes her eyes, her cheeks reddening.

"It's always been about him. Why don't you just refuse to do anything with him if you don't want him." He asks and Draco mutters softly, "I love him. I just want him to want me. I want him to desire me enough to fight for me. I don't want him to accept me due a misplaced sense of responsibility towards our kids."

"Are you sure Draco? He is a nuisance. He will only cause troubles in your life." Father asks and mother kisses Draco's head, her lips whispering softly in her ears, "No-one will compel you Draco. This time around, I won't let them."

"Draco." Father repeats and mother snaps at him, "Will you stop asking same questions again and again. She is not a child now. She can decide by herself. Stop compelling her to answer you. This is her home and she doesn't need to explain anything to you to live here."

Draco is truly and completely stunned. The cup that father had resumes sipping tea from drops on the floor and Draco looks at father who is staring gob-smacked at mother. Draco moves to get up but mother presses her hands on Draco's hair before murmuring coolly, "She will tell us when she wants to. Stop behaving as if she is answerable to you for every breath she takes. Let her take her own decisions for once Lucius. You can only advise her.  _Stop ordering her around._ "

"I wasn't- I wasn't ordering her."

"You will stop making decisions for her. You will stop imposing,  _imposing your_ _judgments_  on her." Mother continues, her hand stroking Draco's hair. Draco can imagine father standing and shouting at mother for being disrespectful and she can imagine herself scurrying off to her room.

That's not what happens though.

Father only casts a spell to clear the mess and replies politely, "All right. I won't intervene then. If he hurts her though, I won't leave him alive."

"He won't hurt me. He might never accept me but he won't hurt me father. I am sure." Draco presses in strong voice.

"Hmmmm." Father only replies and smiles at her.

"I am tired." Draco continues and mother says, "Sleep." and Draco does just that. She closes her eyes and falls asleep.

XXXX

Two days have passed since Draco came here. Stood behind the shelfs that father had banned her from entering when she was a child, Draco drinks in the sight of all the books that she craved to go through and would never be able to. They were written by old authors and no other copies existed of these books. She is tempted to steal them but she can't take it on her conscience. She is not a thief. Also, she knows that she is still a very tiny bit afraid of her father.

Her eyes fall upon on a huge tome that is kept on the topmost shelf on the right hand side corner.

'The dark curses of 401 to 501 AD and their possible cures' by A.L. Potter. She has wanted to read this book ever since she was fourteen and stumbled accidentally upon it. Unconsciously, she gravitated towards it. Her fingers were just a bit away from the book when she heard, "Draco, what-"

She pulls back as if burned and whirled around. Father is standing in front of her, utterly still and blank. Draco swallows and tries to contain her terror. She rubs her neck and looks at the ceiling. She tries to think about Harry and the kids but all she can see is how father had dragged her by her wrist towards her room and beaten her for touching the book.

A lump starts building in her throat and try as she might, she can't get the images out of her mind. It is like she can literally feel the pain. It hurt so much. Mother had banged on the door and father had yelled at her to leave. She had left and Draco remembers being utterly terrified. She remembers calling mother over and over again. Mother hadn't come.

"Draco." Out of nowhere, father's soft yet frantic voice reaches her ears and she feels his hands touch her shoulders lightly. She flinches back, her heart threatening to burst out of her throat. Her eyes shoot open and she stares at father. Her face is drenched with tears and she is sweating profusely.

All she can think is that she needs to run away from here. She needs to leave right now. But father is standing in her way. For the first time ever, Draco looks in her father's eyes and swallows before muttering, "Move out of my way father."

Father doesn't. He is staring at her, his eyes suspiciously red-rimmed.

"Move out of my way. I need to leave." She repeats insistently. This time around, he nods silently before moving away. Mother is standing at the entryway of the library, tears streaming down her face. She remembers. Of course, she does. Draco remembers that mother had cried for weeks after that day. Her eyes started tearing up whenever Draco whimpered in pain in front of her. Try as she might, Draco can't forgive mother for abandoning her at the moment when Draco had needed her the most.

She stops in front of her mother and sniffs. She opens her mouth to console mother that everything is fine, that she has moved on, that it doesn't hurt anymore. But then her mouth closes again because mother knows the truth. Her grey eyes are tired and so very sad that Draco's heart aches.

Mother shifts and Draco leaves. There is nothing she can say to lessen mother's pain.

"Cissa, please listen to me." Draco hears father calling mother behind her.

"I need to be alone for a few moments."

"Stop blaming yourself Narcissa."

"Please leave -" Mother breaths and then starts again, "Please leave me alone Lucius. I don't want to see anyone today."

"I know that I was wrong. I-"

"Leave me alone, Lucius. i don't want to look at you right now." This time mother's voice is cold. Draco feels rotten for causing a row between mother and father. Silently, she leaves the manor and apparates in front of her own house.

XXXX


End file.
